Children Will Listen
by TheMaria
Summary: Andy finds the key to parenting thanks to "Into the Woods"


Title: Children Will Listen

Author: The Maria

Category: Andy, slight A/J

Rating: PG

Summary: Andy listens to the finale from "Into the Woods" and learns a very important lesson about parenting.  Set early season 1.  Part of a series of song fics based on "Into the Woods"

Disclaimer: Andy and Julia Brown are property of the WB, Greg Berlanti, Mickey Liddell, and "Into the Woods" was written by Stephen Soundheim and Lepine.

Children Will Listen 

Andy Brown pressed play on the CD player.  The opening words of wisdom for the finale of "Into the Woods" came on.  It was Delia's favorite musical as well as Julia's, so Andy decided to listen to it.

_Maybe I just wasn't meant to have children._

Andy could understand that one he had often felt like that since Julia died.  He just wasn't a good father.

Don't say that of course you were meant to have children.

That sounded like something Julia would say.  Julia believed that Andy was a good father, even if he was a little misguided in the area of priorities.

But how do I go about being a father with no one to mother my child? 

Ahh that was the question of the year for Andy. Even though Ephram was 16 this parenting thing was still fairly new to him, and without Julia it made everything harder.

Just calm the child.

_Yes calm the child._ The Baker on the CD and Andy thought at the same time. That was the key to it all just is there for them.

Look, tell him the story of how it all happened, be father and mother you'll know what to do.

_Alone._ He would have to do it alone.

Sometimes people leave you, half way through the wood.  Do not let it grieve you-

 no one leaves for good.  You are not alone. No one is alone. 

Was it really that simple?  Did those words hold truth?  Andy pondered that. It was true, he wasn't alone, he had Ephram and Delia, and as far as having someone to help him raise his kids, he had Nina.  Plus Ephram had already grown up, too young perhaps, but he had grown up all ready, and he could help Andy with Delia.

Hold him to the light now, let him see the glow.  Things will be all right now, Tell

him what you know.

"Maybe I could keep Julia's memory alive by encouraging Ephram to keep up with his piano playing , and encourage Delia to be her own person.  She would have liked that," he said quietly to himself.

 "Once upon a time…in a far off kingdom, there lived a young maiden, a sad young lad" 

_Careful the things you say, children will listen_

_"A childless baker"_

_Careful the things you do children will see and learn._

"How true is that?"  He thought again amazed at the wisdom of the song.

Children may not obey, but children will listen.

He smiled at himself, maybe there was hope for him to be a good father to Ephram yet.

Children will look to you for which way to turn To learn what to be Careful before you say listen to me 

_Children will listen._

_Careful the wish you make_

_Wishes are children_

Careful the path they take 

_Wishes come true not free._

Andy closed his eyes after realizing that this one song could hold the key to his redemption as a father.  Everything it said completely lined up with everything he had ever learned, only difference was that now he found the parallel to parenting.  It wasn't about whether or not he was a good enforcer of rules, it wasn't about how great a cook he was, it was about the ideas he gave to his children.  It was about teaching them the lessons he had been taught.

Careful the spell you cast 

_Not just on children_

_Sometimes the spell may last_

_Past what you can see_

And turn against you 

_Careful the tale you tell that is the spell_

_Children will listen_

That was why he hated him.  Andy had tried to make a perfect life for son, a sheltered life, and one where everything seemed magical to the outside world.  But like the song suggested it backfired on him.  Ephram hated Andy for not being home, for trying to cast the spell to make life perfect.  Andy had lost Julia because she was rushing.  If he had been there instead of trying to create a Brown family Utopia she wouldn't have been rushing and she wouldn't be dead.

Though it's fearful, 

_Though it's deep though it's dark and thought you may lose the path_

_Though you may encounter wolves,_

_You can't just act_

_You have to listen_

_You can't just act you have to think_

There are always wolves 

_There are always spells _

_There are always beans_

_Or a giant dwells there_.

He couldn't just try an authoritarian approach to childrearing, he had to listen to his kids to be a good parent, and he had to think before he acted.  Maybe if he listened he could gain Ephram back, and if he listened, maybe he wouldn't lose Delia as well.  It didn't matter if he messed up, he could do it.

_So into the woods you go again_

_You have to every now and then_

_Into the woods no telling when be ready for the journey_

_Into the woods but not to fast_

_Or what you wish you lose at last_

_Into the woods but mind the past_

_Into the woods but mind the future_

_Into the woods but not to stray or tempt the wolf or steal from the giant_

_The way is dark the light is dim _

_But now there's you me her and him_

_The chances look small_

_The choices look grim_

_But everything you learn there will help when you return there_

_The light is getting dimmer_

_I think I see a glimmer_

_Into the woods you have to grope _

_But that's the way you learn to cope_

_Into the woods to find there's hope_

Of getting through the journey 

_Into the woods _

_Each time you go_

_There's more to learn of what you know_

_Into the woods but not to slow_

_Into the woods it's nearing midnight_

_Into the wood to mind the wolf, to heed the witch, to honor the giant_

_To mind_

_To heed_

_To find _

_To think_

_To teach_

_To join_

_To go to the festival_

_Into the woods_

_Into the woods_

_Into the woods_

Then out of the wood… 

He could do it and now he was confident of it.  It didn't matter if other people thought he was the best father, as long as he made sure to be a good example for his kids and be there for them, he knew he'd be a good dad.

And happy ever after! 


End file.
